Frequency doubler wherein two wires are placed in an orthogonal relationship with one wire having a magnetic film coating



'4 Nov, 21, 1967 L M SPANDORFER 354,32

FREQUENCY DOUBLER WHEREIN TWO WIRES ARE PLACED IN AN ORTHOGONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE WIRE HAVING A MAGNETIC FILM COATING Filed June 29, 1.965

LOAD

TERMINATENG MEANS TERRfll-NATING MEANS SIGAL SOURCE FREQUENCY f FIG, 3

INVENTOR LESTER M. SPANDORFER INPUT CURRENT OUTPUT CURRENT ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,354,382 FREQUENCY DOUBLER WHEREIN TWO WIRES ARE PLACED IN AN GRTHGGGNAL RELATION- SHIP WITH ONE WIRE HAVING A MAGNETIC FILM CGATING Lester M. Spandorfer, Cheltenham, Pa., assignor to Sperry Rand Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 29, 1965, Ser. No. 468,013 6 Claims. (Cl. 321-60) This invention relates to frequency doublers and, in particular, to frequency multipliers utilizing plated magnetic wire.

Many types of frequency multipliers and frequency doublers have existed in the prior art. Such frequency doublers have usually required a pair of transformers having their secondary windings wound'in an opposed direction to their primary windings. In general, frequency doublers of the prior art were relatively expensive, complicated, and required, relatively, numerous components.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a novel means for providing frequency doubling.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel means for frequency doubling, utilizing plated magnetic wire.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a novel means for performing frequency doubling using a minimum of components.

Still yet another object of this invention is to provide a novel frequency doubler utilizing, solely, a coated magnetic wire and a drive wire in combination.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a first wire is provided having a coating of a thin magnetic film having its easy axis of anisotropy circumferential about the axis of the wire. One end of the wire is suitably coupled to a point of reference potential, such as ground; the other end of the wire is coupled to a load circuit. A second wire, or drive wire, is placed in an orthogonal relationship with respect to the first magnetic wire. The second wire is coupled to an alternating current frequency source having a fixed frequency (1). An output signal at the frequency 2 is provided to the load circuit.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, together with its construction and mode of operation, will become more apparent from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram, partly in cross section, of one embodiment of this invention;

FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, and 2e, when taken together, are a set of diagrams illustrating the electrical and magnetic states of the conductors; and

FIG. 3 is a set of waveforms useful for understanding one embodiment of this invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a magnetic wire which comprises a central conductor 12 plated with a thin magnetic film 14. The magnetic state, at rest, of the magnetic wire 10* is such that its direction of anisotropy is circumferential above the axis of the wire. A circumferential direction of anisotropy about a magnetic wire can be provided by any one of known techniques. For example, direct current can be applied to the wire, during the deposition of the magnetic film thereon, creating a circumferential magnetic field, whereby a circumferential axis of anisotropy is obtained.

The magnetic wire 10 is coupled, at one end thereof, through a suitable termination means 16 to a point of reference potential, such as ground. The other end of the magnetic wire 10 is coupled to a suitable load circuit 18.

A conductor 20 is placed over the magnetic wire 10 in an orthogonal relationship so that, when current is applied through the wire 20, a magnetic field is created at 3,354,382 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 right angles to the easy axis of anisotropy of the magnetic wire 10.

The conductor 20 is coupled, at one end thereof, through a suitable termination means 22 to a point of reference potential, such as ground. A signal source 24, providing alternating current at a frequency f, is applied to the other end of the conductor 20.

FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d are diagrams helpful for understanding the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG. 2a, at the elemental location where the two wires 10, 20 are juxtaposed, the magnetic state of the element of the magnetic wire 10 is circumferential and is directed upward as illustrated by the vector 27. At rest, no current flows through either wire 10, 20.

Referring to FIG. 2b, as current is applied through the conductor 20, circumferential magnetic field 26 is created about the wire 20. The magnetic field 26 tends to cause the magnetic state of the wire 10 to align therewith, whereby the magnetic state of the wire in assumes a skewed direction 28. As the magnetic state of the magnetic wire 10 rotates from the direction 27 to the direction 28, a current is induced in the wire 10, due to Lenzs Law, in such direction so as to oppose the turning of such vector. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 212, current flows through the magnetic wire 10 toward the left, as illustrated by the arrow 40.

As the current through the wire 20 diminishes, the magnetic state of the wire 10 rotates from its vectorial skewed position 28 towards the easy circumferential direction, to the position 29, as illustrated in FIG. 20. As the vector rotates from the skewed position 28 to its circumferential position 29, current is induced into the Wire 10, due to Lenzs Law, to oppose such direction change, Thus, current flow in the magetic wire 10 is toward the right, as viewed in FIG. 20.

During the second half of the alternating cycle, as current is applied through the conductor 2% in the opposite direction, a magnetic field 50 is created toward the right with respect to the wire 10. The field 50 causes the magnetic state of the wire 10, at its element in juxtaposition with the conductor 20, to assume a rightward skewed direction 30, as illustrated in FIG. 2d. Thus, as the magnetic state of the wire 10 goes from its easy circumferential direction 29 to its rightward skewed direction 30, as illustrated in FIG. 2d, current is induced into the wire 10 in a leftward direction, due to Lenzs Law, so as to oppose the change in the vectorial position of the magnetic state of the wire 10.

As the current through the conductor 20 again diminishes toward zero, the magnetic state of the wire 10 moves toward its rest position at its circumferential easy axis of an isotrophy to assume the circumferential vectorial position 31, as illustrated in FIG. 2e. The rotation of the magnetic vector from the direction 30 to the direction 31 causes current to flow through the wire 10 at a rightward direction to oppose the direction of rotation of the vector (again, due to Lenzs Law).

FIG. 3 shows, at waveform (a), a sinusoidal input current at a frequency 7. With the same time base, waveform (11) illustrates a sinusoidal output current at the frequency 2 Thus, there has been described a combination including solely a plated magnetic conductor and a second conductor placed in orthogonal or approximate orthogonal relationship with respect to the magnetic conductor, wherein alternating current at a frequency 1 applied to the second conductor causes alternating current at the frequency 2 to be obtained from the first wire.

It should be understood that although the frequency 2 is the dominant output frequecy, higher order harmonics are also present.

Of course, it will be understood that many variations and embodiments may be obtained from the teachings of this invention without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, waveforms other than sinuosidal may be applied to the drive line 20, with similar results.

Alternatively, both wires and 10 may be magnetically coated whereby a input current at frequency 1 applied to either wire 10, causes an output current at the frequency 2 to be obtained from the other wire 20, 10.

In an alternative form, the driven wire need not be magnetically coated throughout its length; it need be magnetically coated only at the location of juxtaposition with the driving wire.

Frequency multiplication can be applied with other additional stages so that a signal at a frequency f can be applied to one drive line and an output current obtained at the frequency, 2f from the driven line can be applied to a second stage to drive a second plated wire to obtain a current at the frequency 4], which, in turn, can be applied to still another magnetic wire to obtain a current at the frequency 8 etc.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, a first elongated conductor coated with a thin magnetic film having its easy axis of anisotropy circumferential about the axis of said conductor, means for coupling one end of said conductor to a point of reference potential, means for coupling the other end of said conductor to a load circuit, a second elongated conductor placed in orthogonal relationship to said first conductor, means for coupling one end of said second conductor to-a point of reference potential and means for coupling the other end of said second conductor to an alternating current source.

2. In combination, a first wire coated with a thin magnetic film having its easy axis of anisotropy circumferentialabout the axis of said wire, means for coupling one end of said wire to a point of reference potential, means for coupling the other end of said Wire to a load circuit, a second wire placed inorthogonal relationship to said first Wire, means for coupling one end of said second wire to a point of reference potential, and means for coupling the other end of said second wire to an alternating current source.

3. In combination, a first wire coated with a thin magnetic film having its easy axis of anisotropy circumferential about the axis of said wire, means for coupling one end of said wire to a point of reference potential, a load circuit for utilizing a signal at a frequency 2 means coupling the other end of said wire to said load circuit, asecond wire placed in orthogonal relationship to said first wire, means for coupling one end of said second wire to a point of reference potential, a signal source for providing a signal at the alternating current frequency f, and means coupling the other end of said second wire to said signal source.

4. In combination,

(a) a first elongated conductor coated with a thin magnetic film having its easy axis of anisotropy lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said conductor,

(b) means for coupling one end of said conductor to a point of reference potential,

(c) means for coupling the other end of said conductor to a utilization device,

(d) a second elongated conductor placed in proximity to said first conductor at a substantially orthogonal relationship therewith, and

(e) means for applying an alternating current to said second conductor.

5. In combination,

a first elongated conductor having a principal central axis,

a thin anisotropic magnetic film coupled to said conductor and having an easy axis of anisotropy lying in a plane perpendicular to said principal axis,

a second elongated conductor having a principal central axis, said second'principal central axis lying in. said plane, and

means for applying an alternating current source to said second conductor.

6. In combination,

a first wire,

a thin anisotropic magnetic film coated onto said first wire and having its easy axis of anisotropy circumferential about the axis of said first wire,

a second wire placed into substantially orthogonal relationship with said first wire, and substantially juxtaposed therewith,

an alternating current source for providing an alternating current at a fixed frequency f, said source being coupled to one end of said second wire, and being of such magnitude that alternating current at twice said frequency f is induced in said first wire, and

a load circuit coupled to said first wire, said load circuit being adapted to utilize said alternating current at saidfrequency 2 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,069,616 1 12/ 1962 Gianola 340-174 3/1963 Bobeck 340--l74* 

6. IN COMBINATION, A FIRST WIRE, A THIN ANISOTROPIC MAGNETIC FILM COATED ONTO SAID FIRST WIRE AND HAVING ITS EASY AXIS OF ANISOTROPY CIRCUMFERENTIAL ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID FIRST WIRE, A SECOND WIRE PLACED INTO SUBSTANTIALLY ORTHOGONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID FIRST WIRE, AND SUBSTANTIALLY JUXTAPOSED THEREWITH, AN ALTERNATING CURRENT SOURCE FOR PROVIDING AN ALTERNATING CURRENT AT A FIXED FREQUENCY F, SAID SOURCE BEING COUPLED TO ONE END OF SAID SECOND WIRE, AND BEING OF SUCH MAGNITUDE THAT ALTERNATING CURRENT CURENT AT TWICE SAID FREQUENCY F IS INDUCED IN SAID FIRST WIRE, AND A LOAD CIRCUIT COUPLED TO SAID FIRST WIRE, SAID LOAD CIRCUIT BEING ADAPTED TO UTILIZE SAID ALTERNATING CURRENT AT SAID FREQUENCY 2F. 